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I agree that you got pretty good service out your stock batteries, much better than I did. But I blame myself for their short life span due to poor maintenance. Although only one of my four batteries tested as failing, I replaced them all. As far as removing four 68 lb. batteries being a PITA, I totally agree. I was actually thinking of removing the main positive and negative cables and using jumper cables to connect them to a single 12v battery, like the new one you just put into your truck. As far as the 12.7v reading goes, it would probably be more accurate if you checked the voltage again after a full charge and then allowing them to rest for about 6 hours. But I understand your position. Mossey

Yep, the newer Ollie’s have a "finished basement", which included the rear wall partition like your pictures of your Plano box. My 2017 LEII does not have the rear wall. Mossey

Yep - a couple of velcro straps and then I put it into a nice big bag my wife made for it. From there it gets dumped into the back of the truck. Bill p.s. there are a bunch of different ways to use the "basement" space. While at the Rally be sure to ask people to see what they have done. In fact - this is one of the main benefits of the Owner's Rally and this year you will have even more time to do it - simply walk around, look and ask. I've never had an owner refuse to talk about and/or show me the things they have done to their Ollie!

It’s probably located just to the forward side of the 60A breaker. In the pic attached, the one you are looking for has the red plastic cover flipped open.

One other thought I had was that there is a good chance the driver was in an alcoholic (or other drug) blackout. That means that he might not even remember what he did, assuming he made it to his destination in one piece. If they don’t nail him this time, it’s likely he’ll do it again with possibly even more dire consequences.

Beacon is back on the road today heading to Ohio. She has a new owners and it was a bit sad to see Beacon turn up the hill out of the barn driveway. We have some terrific memories. The new owner arrived late last night around 11:30 and he slept in Beacon in the barn. We spent the morning and early afternoon going over the trailer, finalizing paperwork, and getting a temporary transit plate for the trip back to Akron. Sorry for the shadow in the photo! It is wired having an empty barn!!! We will miss our adventures, but on to new ones!! Look for #537 Beacon on the road. The new owners are contemplating keeping the name and graphics.

Another quick update regarding furnace failure. At this point after several days of testing and analyzing the situation all indicators point to failing batteries after 7 years of use. Can't be absolutely be certain of this but the last two days we have had very cold temps overnight. This morning was 17º and yesterdaymid 20's in the morning. Both mornings even after a full charge from the previous day the batteries measured 12.7+ volts but would not start the furnace and on both of those days once plugged into shore power the furnace started up and ran for an hour ± without issue. What puzzles me is, when is 12.7 volts ± a fraction not really 12.7 volts. Makes no sense. Worth pointing out however with milder temps and with batteries in this SOC (state of charge) the furnace lit up. Clearly however the battery pack simply did not have the power to run the fan fast enough to trip the sail switch under colder temps. I could replace the sail switch but from all indications it measures and seems work just fine. Hopefully this info will help anyone else when and if they stumble into similar issues. Would love to do the Lithium as replacements, doubt I will do lead acid again but at least AGM. Suggestions and thoughts appreciated.

I got a couple of big Velcro straps from Amazon and fold it, strap it and put it in the bed of the truck. The basement has a crate with water supplies, a crate with black tank supplies, a crate with spare stuff and the power cord and surge protector (I don’t have an internal one). Mike

Both of those fans share the same power source, so I would verify that you have 12v at both fans. My 2017 has a breaker panel on the street side of the attic and it has a breaker for the fans. Just ask, if you need additional guidance. Mossey

l inherited the Plano box and a lot of other cool stuff the prior owner included with our E2. FWIW, it also fits in the forward left area as you open the door. I keep longer folding chair, folding table, mats, etc., items on the right. Just reconfigured the Plano box to include a wet bag for hose and water hookup and other space for secondary water and electrical items, like adapters, etc., next to it. Basically, I can pull the box at camp for water and electric hookup. Second 30amp cable is stored separately. Still refining, so we'll see how it goes.

John E Davies has the best idea to get the story on the local news, the video, and the picture of the guy's truck. The truck is easily identifiable. And that guy's face and chin is easily identifiable too. I wonder if it can be determined what year the truck is.

Why do you say this? I've followed the advice given in Practical Sailor magazine to restore a chalky and dirty white fiberglass van top which included using a buffer - for amateurs like me they seemed to lean toward a dual action buffer like this one from Shurhold. They wrote that the more agressive rotary buffers like this one from DeWalt present a higher risk of amateurs burning the surface or leaving swirl marks though in the right hands they'll get the job done faster than what I bought and used. In any case, compound and buffing may not be the best plan of attack, at least not until more gentle cleaning type approaches such as outlined by SeaDawg are tried here, escalating from most gentle through stronger cleaners as needed. This is one of several good articles on the topic of maintaining fiberglass in Practical Sailor - it's a great resource which I learned of here from SeaDawg

In Florida Ocala area those black spots are flies pooping. All the above work well if they stay on to long. Usually just soap and water works fine.

1 - make sure that the pump is off 2 - make sure that there is no pressure in the water lines 3 - place a rag under the filter "bowl" and take it off This bowl and filter are not very big so that they don't hold a bunch of water. When re-installing the bowl: make sure that it is aligned properly and then screw it back on. It only has to be "finger" tight. Turn the water pump back on and check for leaks. Bill

My dometic dinosaur unot was well over a decade old, but still (loudly) worked. The exterior shroud was mostly tape, cracked in so many places. (Our trailer is outdoors, 24/7/365.) I offered parts here, then took it to recycling, with no takers. The 9.5 works well in our parking spot beside the house, and on house 15 amp. We have a smaller 2008 elite. We don't have lithium, or a way to run the ac from battery. My experience is strictly running it at home. We don't have (nor ever had) an easy start. It's very quiet. It works. In retrospect, since we rarely have power camping, I could have replaced the old dometic with a vent fan, and saved a lot of money. It is nice, though, to have the ability to have ac, if we need it.

12.7 in old weak batteries can drop very rapidly. The shore power test you've done probably tells the story, imo.

This storage container is a perfect fit for the back of the basement. Plano, 68 quart, medium storage trunk.

Thanks for the tip about the Plano storage box. I bought one yesterday to replace the two milk crates that I stored in the inner-most part of the basement. Even with ropes attached to the crates to make it easier to remove them, the furthest crate would always hang up on a bump in the ridged rubber matting, and I would have to go headfirst into the basement to retrieve it. The Plano box slides in and out easily, once you figure out how to angle it just right.

John: I think that SeaDawg installed a Houghton AC last year. Check with them on your questions.

2009 amazing, and there in lies the difference. I have not been that meticulous about the battery maintenance. FWIW I have called both Trojan and Lifeline battery companies and both companies have stated I've done well getting 7 years out of these. To add to that after charging again all day, unplugged battery power started furnace quickly @ 13.0 volts SOC, turned off furnace for a few minutes, SOC @ 12.8 volts and again furnace starts and its freezing cold here with snow now coming down. Did the same thing a few times on Sunday with same results. Looks like time to buy new batteries, because its obvious @ 12.7 volts these batteries do not have enough left to power the fan motor properly. 1st World problems, we should be so luck. Thanks

I agree with SeaDawg. Use mildest to start with. When I purchased my used 3 year old Ollie, there were a lot of black water stains on the side walls that came from dirt (I think) from the roof. This Meguiar's 67 is what I used to remove black water stains on my Ollie. It is pretty mild as far as compounds go. Some other products also worked but required a lot of rubbing. This Meguiars 67 One Step Compound took off the spots with very little rubbing. I used a cloth to apply it and another cloth to remove and polish it. DO NOT use a power buffer with any fiberglass compound products. After I cleaned the the fiberglass I used the below Meguiars Professional Marine wax. I use two coats each spring and another coat in the fall. I have owned four older fiberglass boats over the years. I always used to use Star Brite products or West Marine products but I really love the Meguiar's products better. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Funny, I was just out in my trailer this morning, checking some things out, and I was going to ask you what your battery levels were. Now, you've solved the mystery, all on your own. Good on you. I have friends with a 2009 who still have their original Trojan wet cells in service. (They maintain meticulously, and are plugged in through storage, and most of the time, camping as well.) Theyve defied all odds, imo. Me? 99 per cent boondocking, solar charging. On our third set of batteries. Our two Deka/east penn agm group 31s are in their 5th season. Hoping for a few more. Fingers crossed. Batteries are so expensive. I feel your pain.

I'd start with stuff you have in the house, mildest. It depends on what the stains really are, but it could indeed be mildew. Fiberglass gelcoat has "pores" that can collect tiny amounts of organic matter, allowing mold to grow, without really good wax. Even then, it can happen. None of these will hurt your gelcoat. Best done on a cooler day, in the shade. Try a paper towel soaked in vinegar, and plaster it to the hull. Let it sit ten minutes. Rinse it and see. If that doesn't make a difference, try soaking a paper towel in hydrogen peroxide, same procedure, different spot. ( you never want to mix peroxide and vinegar.) There are many marine mildew removers on the market. Someone, I think @dewdev, used Starbrite. I recently tried marine 31 on a few stubborn spots in my bath, with good success, after none of my home remedies worked. All these need to be well washed and rinsed after application. I'd stick with marine products, though, A cleaner wax has a mild polish in it, last resort. Best applied by hand. Any polish or compound is a form of very fine grit, and removes a tiny bit of gel coat. The wrong tools in inexperienced hands will do more harm than good, as John e Davies mentioned. You don't want permanent swirl marks in your beautiful sides. Once you get the trailer clean, wax it well, with a good quality wax, and keep it up. Wax seals those pores. We wax twice each year, exterior. Now we use collinite, since 3m ultra has been (sadly) discontinued. Interior gets waxed once a year. Last year, I skipped it, and got some spots in the kitchen.. What part of the country did your trailer come from?

Pretty sure that's an older Dodge Ram, 1997 to 2001, second generation design. Look at the grill and the rectangular insets for fog lamps, if ordered, and the rectangular shape of the headlights. (Grill became a little more rounded and bigger, in the 2002 through 2008 redesign, and the fog lamp inset is round, headlights one unit and more of a European look. ) I'd agree, probably a work truck. How many extended cab, grey Dodge Ram pickups can there still be on the road in that area, 21 to 25 years old?

Regardless of whether the furnace runs on another set of batteries or not, you should replace your 7-year-old wet cell batteries. They are the same type of battery used on most cars and trucks. I have never gotten as much as 7 years out of such a battery without failure. Of course, the failure usually occurs in cold conditions, consistent with your report. With regard to your 12.7V readings, old lead acid batteries sometimes give unreliable readings. I expect new batteries will solve your issue.

I've been to Chaco several times but not with my Oliver though I would like to at some point. It really depends on what time of year you visit this place or more importantly how soon after the last maintenance grading was performed. Only once have I seen it where it drove like a well maintained gravel road, the other times and one in particular was a very slow go even without towing due to the roughness and excessive washboarding and trenches. It's a crap shoot whether or not anyone would hit it shortly after a fresh grading. I don't recall how long the road is, but 18 miles seems a bit short to me. Figure about an hour to get in there towing and if it goes quicker consider yourself lucky. One word of caution, if you decide to take the side trip to Pueblo Pintado its my understanding NOT to do it from the paved road off highway 550. Apparently this road is extremely rough and better approached from within Chaco itself. All that out of the way Chaco is an amazing place and well worth the visit.

When we changed out our original Ventline for the Maxxfan Dome with LED ring light, I posted a few photos and a short video in this thread. We use the fans in our trailer all the time, and I'm happy to report the MaxxAir is still very quiet, and works very well, while drawing very little power. Sometimes I just prop open the bath door, and run the maxxair instead of the bigger fan. My only complaint is that it's more difficult to open than the old Ventline. But, I absolutely love the overhead light. I wish the big fan had one, too. We've camped over 150 days in the trailer since install, plus I often run it when it's parked at the house, just to circulate the air here in humid sw Florida.

hmmm ... the basement in my 2015 (Hull #069) looks quite a bit different than the one pictured above ... Anxious, now, to see the options and ideas at the rally! ... see y'all there!

SeaDawg did replace the bathroom fan with the Maxx Air dome with LED light. Again, try a PM to SeaDawg if you haven't already done so. Bill

Some good insights here! Thanks! Related - we have a rather large outside all vinyl "carpet" to lay on the ground ... when rolled/folded fits nicely inside the basement, but stretches across the entire rear of the space. As we travel it usually unrolls a bit as I've not taken the time yet to use bungees or straps to hold it together. Regardless, it takes up most of the basement storage area. I can squeeze other items in, including a plastic milk crate with misc. hoses, chords, tools etc. ... but not much room for anything else. So, the question is ... where/how do y'all store/carry your outdoor rug? Thanks, in advance, -Dan (BTW - looking forward to meeting everyone in Guntersville - see you there!)

I see you started 2 different posts about the same time today. Did the fan problem exist before the pigtail troubleshooting began? Are they related? Mossey

2019 will have a small fuse panel in the same location.

I think many RV owners expect our RV to operate to our home standards, but they do not, never have and probably never will, trainman

We have a 2015 LE2 and do not know if the plumbing is the same on the Elite. Made these pages and added to my operators manual:

With the right adapters, its not a big deal My advice would be to wait and see if you actually need anything, at all. Zamp is a big cost difference. And 46 vs 16 pounds is huge, at least, for me. Portable solar is the easiest add on, ever. See if you actually need/want it.

Curious what you store in the tote, and what you keep in the rest of the space in the basement. We pick up in less than 2 months. Things I definitely want to store here: The trailer and bike tool boxes, Electric cords and hoses, and anderson levelers, orange blocks. Trying to think of things that we definitely need to bring, but don't necessarily use every trip - THAT is what I would store in the tote...

Love that custom spool, @Mcb. Everything in one space!

That looks pretty handy.. and got me wondering about what other folks stuff into the basement and what kind of storage solutions they have come up with… Heres what we’ve got stashed away.. a tote with a couple 50’ water hoses and assorted “water gear”, a sort of spool I made with two 25’ cords wrapped around it and related testers and adapters in its center… a milk crate full of blocking of various sizes (6x6s, 2x6s 1x6s etc) and a box I made full for an assortment of tools and gear aimed at quick repairs and trouble shooting without getting into the “real toolbox” that lives in the truck. the tote and spool go in first… followed by the crate of blocking, and the tools.. the remaining space is where I stow the wheel chocks

Always be sure you double check the main door lock before traveling. I neglected to lock one time and the door came open in the middle of downtown Jacksonville, FL. We had to pull over in fierce traffic and get it closed and locked.

Hey John ... did you ever find a solution for this? My wife got a pretty nasty scrape/bruise from the sharp-edged bath door handle as she navigated a late night visit to the head. She has since covered it with a short piece of styro pipe insulation, but that is ugly and inconvenient (keeps falling off). Would love to replace with something like what you'd suggested. Cheers, -Dan (BTW - are you going to the rally at Guntersville in May? ... would love to meet you as I've really enjoyed your thoughts and insights shared here in the forums)